While at a private shooting range the other day, I found some empty 7.62x25mm Tokarev cases. I was quite surprised to find WWII Soviet headstamps.

Headstamps are:

(Impressed)

541 * 45 I
710 * 45 II
3 * 45 I
3 * 44 XI

(raised)

38 * 45 o ( the “o” is solid and looks more like a blob from a worn bunter)
T 45 (very, very worn bunter. the “T” looks like a mushroom!)

I found multiples of most, so I don’t think someone shot up collector ammo.
I do recall that Soviet ammunition in this caliber is specificly banned from import into the US. I’m wondering how it got here. And, here is the odd thing: all of the cases have a red primer seal. Was this ammunition reworked post WWII in some other country and then made it’s way to the US as surplus? I do not recall Soviet 7.62x25mm Tok ammunition from WWII having primer seals. Any of the headstamps interesting or scarce?

Several years ago I bought a case of Yugo 7.62x25 to feed my CZ 52. It turned out to be reloads using WWII Soviet cases. All of the cartriges have red annulus and the bullets are held in place by 6 stabs in the case neck. Looking at my notes, I’ve found at least 30 h/s in the boxes I’ve looked at so far - I can provide list if anyone’s interested. This case has a lot to answer for - it’s what got me into serious collecting!

I think we would like to see that list. It would be interesting to see if any previously unknown headstamps are on it. That has happened with reworked ammo before, and with big importations from countries whose ammo was, for years, unaccessible to Western cartridge collectors. I have a number of these Yugo-reworked Russian Toks in my own collection, but nowhere near 30.

Hee, hee, hee. I’m actually the one who “forced” Dave to open all those boxes. We went through a few thousand I think, and actually did find a few previously unrecorded lot numbers. John, I’ll send you my current “Known Tokarevs” list to go along with Dave’s list of what we found. Those Yugo repack boxes were as good as the Polish stuff that came in a few years back for finding batches of mixed lot numbers.
If anyone else wants a copy of that “Known” listing, just ask.